Hrm, what did he mean by Joss's background in small movies? I thought Serenity was more or less the only movie period? Otherwise he's script-doctored pretty massive ones but not been too involved with them-- Maybe that's a reference to Dr. Horrible since people have no idea what to call it?

...Or is that just new hip terminology for TV episodes that have more of a distinct style as shows go.

That's the damn problem. Why did we let in all those countries that're better than Scotland (particularly when there was already a precedent for "World" competitions comprising one country and its northern neighbour) ? IMO there should be a special dispensation for nations that're on the same land-mass as the country that kinda-sorta invented the game. Except for Wales.

Hrm, what did he mean by Joss's background in small movies?

There's "The Cabin in the Woods" too, maybe Favreau means that ? And aside from script-doctoring numerous big features Joss wrote (in the sense of being credited) "Alien: Resurrection" - though by most accounts may wish he hadn't - and "Toy Story" (neither are exactly small movies, granted) and "Titan A.E." (which arguably is).

Oh, I figured that in all of those films those did constitute doctoring even if he gets credited in that he was brought on at some point to punch up the script, except in these cases he apparently made enough changes to get credited. Like on Titan AE I just found out Ben Edlund also did a draft as well as this guy whose name I can't recall but he did Go among lots of other decent things.

And oh yeah, I forgot about Cabin-- I suppose even if he didn't direct it that producing still involves some applicable skill sets?

Oh, I figured that in all of those films those did constitute doctoring even if he gets credited in that he was brought on at some point to punch up the script, except in these cases he apparently made enough changes to get credited.

Nah, I think with "Alien: Resurrection" at least he was the screenwriter and that was that (IIRC the PDF copy of the script that comes in the quadrilogy box set just has his name and, last act aside, it's pretty close to the movie they made, on paper anyway). The director (and possibly others) interfered and the ending wasn't one of his but it's his script, by and large.

But it's a sliding scale I suppose, a point on a spectrum. Script-doctoring to me means stuff like 'Speed', 'Twister', 'Waterworld' etc. where it's an uncredited punching up of dialogue but maybe Joss hizzownself considers e.g. 'Toy Story' "just" script-doctoring. To me if you get a "screenplay by" or especially a "written by" credit then you're (at least one of) the writers, it doesn't need another name than that.

By "background in small movies" I assumed he was also referring to things like writing (or co-writing as on Cabin) and producing rather than purely to directing (but I haven't watched the video - I can watch Flash stuff at the moment, I just can't hear it. Or read lips. Ubuntu issues ;) - so i'm just going by the text). Certainly his other comments (about Joss' dialogue and storytelling chops) apply to writerly skills though.

A little off topic, but I have to let it out: I recently re-watched the Alien Quadrilogy (inspired by the news of the prequels) and was very much disappointed by A:R's story. But there WAS that one line that in that context was just absolutely hilarious: "All aliens please procede to level 1". That should be in the quotes here. :D

I think it's great that people like Favreau know and support Joss. Keeps the hope alive. It's not much. But it's enough. :)